Reasons Travel Is Good For You

September 15, 2019

Dr Jasel Martin

If you’ve thought that taking a vacation is wasting your money that you need for other things, think again. Travel is good for you, both mentally and physically. Taking time away from work may seem impossible, but it’s necessary. You need time for yourself and your life outside work to be in balance and most productive. It not only helps relieve stress, it makes memories that last for years.

A vacation is heart healthy and has other benefits.

A study of 12,000 men that lasted nine years found that those who took the time for a vacation at least once a year lowered their risk of dying of heart disease by 30%. A second study found that people who failed to take a vacation each year were two times more likely to suffer from a heart attack. Vacations help you relax and make you feel good. That fact was demonstrated in a study involving 15,000 women linked taking a vacation to a lower risk of depression.

Vacations not only rejuvenate the body, they relax and reboot the mind.

There are a number of studies that show that traveling can reduce stress in your life and help you relax. It also increases the ability to handle problems after the vacation. You’ll do better at work and feel less burnt out, while also increasing your productivity. Studies also show that employees who travel miss less work, which is a good reason for employers to they take vacation time. If you have children and take vacations, it boosts their performance at school. One study showed that children who traveled abroad were twice as likely to get a college degree.

No time, no money isn’t a good excuse.

If you don’t think you have the money for a vacation, try the mason jar or two liter bottle technique. One estimate that a two liter bottle of dimes holds between $600 and $700. Now when you add a coffee can for quarter, nickels, pennies and dollars, at the end of the year you have a method to save for next years vacation that’s painless. At the end of the day, throw your pocket change into the appropriate containers and if you have a dollar extra, put it in the coffee can. Then make the time to travel. If you’re self-employed and don’t have a paid vacation, part of the money can cover your pay.

One way to ensure your enjoy your trip is limiting the things you want to do on it. You can make a short list with one thing from each person in your family and a longer list of “if we have time or are near the area.”

Travel can cement a relationship and bring a family closer together. Some people get together once a year with friends they’ve had for ages that live in another area of the country. It keeps your social life fuller and the more social you are, the healthier you are according to most studies.

Planning the trip can be half the fun. Finding things to do at your destination can be a family affair. You’ll be surprised at some of the things your spouse or children are excited about doing that you never thought would interest them.

There’s a lot more to being healthy than just eating well and exercise. The quality of your life is important and socializing, travel and other things add to that. Check out some of the ideas for better health at DrJazzyFit.